Day of the Dragon
by a.mild.groove
Summary: His day just went from an inconvenience to a full-blown disaster. Every Firebender was a ticking bomb now. One little annoyance, one tiny argument could explode into a fight; one with innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Zuko began to tremble; he didn't have much time left being lucid. Sequel to Wolf Moon. Katara/Zuko. O.o
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Yeah…I totally could not leave this idea alone. So I welcome you all to the sequel/companion to Wolf Moon. This will be another three-part series, and will, of course, eventually sport the **M** rating, so consider this your first heads up.

**Disclaimer:** No…

Day of the Dragon

"_Treat him as a king, and in return he will treat you as a queen; and together you can serve one another with the happiness and love each deserves."_

**Chapter One**

It took an enormous amount of effort to calm his mind amidst the various and _powerful_ surges of energy coming from the distance. The burbling of the spring his body was immersed in was almost comforting…almost. Zuko's body was on fire, _literally_ radiating with flameless heat from within. The palace springs, which were always so cool and comforting in any season, bubbled with rage due to the sharp spike in temperature from the Fire Lord's body. His mind was racing, his emotions flaring and subsiding in an unrelated sequence. His body had begun to spasm and twitch, for_ hours_, since the events had begun and it was taking all of his focus and strength to maintain a modicum of composure.

He wished he could say he was enjoying himself, naked in a spring; reclining against the stone walls surrounding the normally calming waters, but it was taking too much effort to control his emotions…let alone his body. His arms rested upon the lip of the wall surrounding the spring and he watched in frustration as his hands twitched violently against his own volition before tiny flares of lightning began to arch between his fingers. Zuko fisted his hands, sighing loudly—and producing a rather large jet of fire from his nostrils.

The Fire Lord's head thudded against the rim of the springs, wishing that time would have mercy on him and make this day end so that nightfall could bring relief to his conflicted body.

It was not _precisely _how Zuko had imagined his day to begin: naked in the springs of his now vacant palace with a nation full of Firebenders becoming unsettled and irate and an entire _world_ of distant Firebenders behaving similiarly.

Thank Agni they were not _all_ royalty…

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

At sunrise when Zuko, as well as the rest of the nation's Firebenders had risen for the day at the beckon of their greatest energy source, he had noticed almost immediately that he seemed to have an overabundance of energy coursing through his body. The Fire Lord had not been alarmed, choosing instead to meditate for a moment to alleviate the excessive energy within him. It was not until Zuko was seated before his balcony window, eyes closed and thoughts moving inward that he realized that his _mind_ was also experiencing a surfeit of erratic movement and was progressively getting worse. Zuko opened his eyes, his brow creasing in a frown as he felt his entire body begin to _hum_ with pent up energy, as if his entire being was a taut string ready to snap at any moment. His appendages began to twitch in an effort to relieve the near-painful tension.

_Something is wrong._

A sudden banging at the Fire Lord's bedroom door, followed by a shout alarmed Zuko to the point of flinching, a gasp escaping from his mouth in a long stream of fire that thankfully went out the balcony window instead of creating a problem inside his bedroom.

"Fire Lord Zuko! Your Majesty, something has happened!"

Tiredly wiping a hand across his face, Zuko stood, yanking open the door and being greeted by a _very_ nervous looking servant. They observed one another for a moment, the usual decorum between Fire Lord and servant suspending as they watched each other's bodies twitch and jerk erratically and beyond their control. All of his employees in the palace were Firebenders; it was a tradition that dated back to the first Fire Lord that was used in an effort to ensure the safety of the royal family. Zuko wondered if all of the Firebenders in the nation were being affected. A flush crept up Zuko's neck as he realized that his spasms were getting worse, more so than his servant.

He cleared his throat, "What is it?" Twitch. _Damn it…_

The servant snapped out of his daze and quickly bowed his head, as was custom, murmuring an apology before righting himself. "Moments ago we received word that the volcano on Roku's Island erupted—"

_Shit…_

"—an incredibly large eruption, sir, larger than the last one a decade ago. Smoke can already be seen from here and word was received by a passing naval ship that the entire island is completely covered in lava."

_Shit!_

That much heat and energy spewing from the Earth was going to make being a Firebender more than a little unbearable until the volcano calmed down…which was likely going to be a while. Roku's volcano spewed for almost a week ten years ago, but nearly every available Firebender had been off fighting in the war and the energy and heat from the volcano was used as an advantage to gain the upper hand. Zuko was sure that every Firebender around the world would still feel the volcano, but was going to be irritable if they were unable to expend that energy.

_Speaking of irritable_.

Zuko stiffened, closing his eyes as an enormous flood of pure, agonizing _rage_ overwhelmed his mind. His hand shot out, gripping the doorframe as his body shook from the devastating need to disembowel something. He heard the servant gasp, then curse as what seemed to be a stream of fire erupted from the man's mouth. This was not good. Zuko could not even begin to understand who or what his anger was directed toward, and doubted it was a justifiable source to begin with.

"Your Majesty?"

"Hang on," he hissed through clenched teeth as he attempted to regain command of his own body and thoughts. It was frighteningly spectacular, that a volcano eruption had such an immense impact on his being.

He inhaled and exhaled deeply for a moment before opening his eyes, offering an apologetic smile to the twitching man.

"I guess what they say about royalty is true, huh?" he said in an attempt to lighten the mood, unsure if the man realized how close he came to being knocked on his ass by the enraged Fire Lord.

It was often thought that the Fire Nation royalty were direct descendants of Agni, the spirit of fire. Historically, Firebending royals always drew more strength than other Firebenders from sources of energy: the sun, hot climates, volcanos, comets. If this was true, then Zuko was going to be his biggest problem during the volcano.

The servant cleared his throat nervously, "Um, your Majesty, that's not all."

Zuko quirked his brow, hoping the additional bad news was something he could manage, "Yes?"

The servants fidgeting got worse, making Zuko more aware of his own spasms and twitches. He tried to ignore it, sure that he looked ridiculous standing there in nothing but his sleeping pants and twitching like a lamb at slaughter. "Well, sir, it was reported that not long after the volcano erupted…a rather large lightning storm formed over the island as a result of the volcano."

_Shit!_ Zuko's body sagged against his doorframe. At least the volcano_ and _the lightning storm explained why he could feel his spastic moods and twitching body getting worse. However, while Zuko could attempt to manage his erratic Firebending on his own, he could not hope the same for his people. There were _thousands_ of civilian Firebenders in his nation alone, let alone the hundreds who were abroad for political or personal reasons. Zuko sighed, ignoring the frightened squeak from the servant when fire spewed from his Fire Lord's lips…_again_.

Rubbing a hand across his face, Zuko faced the servant, hoping he could maintain a semblance of order over his Firebenders until the event was over. He noticed his hand was blackened with soot. He blushed, apparently he was breathing _a lot_ of fire.

"Have my assistant send messages to _all _Fire Nation message posts around the world alerting the other nations to what has happened. I want all Firebenders to use extreme caution in public and I strongly recommend they stay indoors and away from people until this event has passed. Also, I want this wing of the palace evacuated of all staff…I need to be alone for a—"

"Your Majesty!"

A soldier was running toward him, a look of absolute terror on the man's face. _Agni…what now?_

The man stopped before him, weakly saluting before doubling over to catch his breath. The man was also trembling and twitching erratically, more than the servant, and was panting bursts of flames from his mouth and nose.

"What is it now?!" Zuko snapped without meaning to. The soldier and servant both flinched, the soldier snapping upright and trying to stand at attention, but failing due to the uncontrolled spasms of his body. Zuko sighed again, this time having the foresight to turn his head away from the two men so he would not bathe them in fire.

"My apologies. What is it?" His tone was still harsh, his words clipped but he could hardly help it anymore.

The soldier wasted little time, saying, "It's a comet, sir."

Zuko's eyes widened, his nostrils flaring with jets of fire as he felt his body begin to tremble and shake anew with excessive anger. "That…is _not_ funny, solider," he growled through clenched teeth.

The soldier handed him a piece of parchment, "Tell me about it, sir. We just received this message from Ba Sing Se not even seconds after the lightning storm began. Says they spotted a comet coming their way late last night and is going to pass directly over the Capital in a couple of hours, sir."

"Shit!" Zuko did not bother looking at the message, instead ripping a hand through his short hair. His emotions were clouding his thoughts, causing him to panic. His day just went from an inconvenience to a full-blown disaster. _Every _Firebender was a ticking bomb now. One little annoyance, one tiny argument could explode into a fight; one with innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Zuko began to tremble; he didn't have much time left being lucid, he knew that. Soon he was going to lose control of himself and his staff could pay the price. Something had to be done; one Firebender in another nation could spark another war if things got out of hand.

Zuko groaned, his body beginning to spasm erratically, his fingers igniting at random with flame before snuffing out and starting all over again.

"I want _all_ Firebenders in the Fire Nation confined to their homes and quarantined from others. This is a _mandatory_ shut-in for the safety of everyone. Send a message to every Fire Nation post in every country warning them of the danger and telling them to stay away from any Firebenders; or ordering them to confinement if they can. Have…have a message sent to the Avatar, asking him to do _something_ with the damn volcano. And last_ly_—"

A large stream of fire spewed from Zuko's mouth toward the two men, forcing them to duck beneath the flames before Zuko clicked his teeth shut, shutting his eyes and taking a moment to compose himself. _This is getting out of hand_.

Without bothering to apologize, Zuko rasped, "I want the palace evacuated immediately. All staff, all guards…_everyone_ needs to get out."

The soldier shook his head, "W-what about you sir? The guards do not want to leave your side—"

Zuko hissed, his eyes clenching shut as he fought the urge to rip the man to shreds. They needed to leave. Now.

"Have the most senior of my guards, only those who are Masters, disperse through the Capital to prevent any fighting from breaking out. Everyone else needs to leave the palace immediately. I…I am going to be a problem…soon."

He barely heard the mumbled 'yes your Majesty' before he was finally alone. His body sagged against the doorframe, his entire being feeling as if it was being pulled in a thousand different directions. He felt a little better; at least if he was alone the only damage he could cause was to the palace itself.

Zuko hoped he was the only Firebender that was close to losing control. Powerful Firebenders would definitely feel the various sources of energy, and be affected by it, but Zuko prayed that distance would alleviate the intensity of the energy being pushed into the atmosphere. His servant and the soldier had appeared twitchy, but were able to function with what appeared to be relative ease.

It was taking _all_ of Zuko's strength to remain where he was until the palace was empty.

Zuko suddenly smelled smoke and opened his eyes, seeing the little wisps of smoke dance in front of him. He glanced around before his head snapped to where his body was leaning against his doorframe.

His now charred doorframe.

Cursing, Zuko took off at a run toward the one place he knew he could cool down in solitude.

**A/N: **Eh? Love it? Hate it? Either way I hope you all enjoyed. Next chapter will officially be rated **M**; so this was your second warning!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Judging by the reviews, I'm guessing this story is not a favorite quite yet. O.o Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter more than the last. Also this is now officially **RATED M** so consider this your last warning. Grab a glass and a straw and enjoy the falling lemons!

Day of the Dragon

**Chapter Two**

The Fire Lord woke with a start in the palace springs, another stream of fire erupting from his mouth with his gasp before he could stop it. He glanced around frantically trying to regain his bearings and all the while being startled by the fire that would _not_ _stop_ spewing from his lips.

Apparently he _could not_ control his inner fire.

Bearings straight and location recognized, Zuko stilled his body, electing to keep his mouth shut while hot jets of air released from his nostrils. At least it wasn't fire anymore.

Zuko sagged against the stone wall of the spring. His entire body was in a constant spasm and he could see fire constantly igniting from his hands and feet, causing the water in the spring to bubble angrily. The comet must be close. Zuko was not sure how long he had dozed in the spring, but if he were to judge by his ever-increasing twitchiness and the rampaging turmoil of emotions in his mind, he would have to say the comet was still approaching instead of retreating.

Then there was the volcano.

Zuko really wished he was in a better frame of mind to handle the volcano; calling upon the assistance of local Waterbenders or Earthbenders would have perhaps been the most expedient way to cut off the massive amounts of energy coming from the volcano. Or, he could have dealt with the fire-spewing mountain on his own.

The Fire Lord cursed loudly, thankful there were no servants or other staff nearby to hear him. He could not help but feel that whatever he was doing just wasn't enough. Perhaps if he had trained more, meditated more on his self-control. He was a Master; all Fire Lords were, but he wondered if his ancestors would have been more capable in dealing with this dangerous abundance of energy.

_A volcano, a lightning storm, a comet, and the sun_. Zuko snorted, wondering at the justice of his element's ability to make its benders helpless.

_Helpless…_

Zuko's eyes closed, a torrent of emotions overwhelming him again when he remembered a time during the war when the moon had held a Master Waterbender helpless in her heavenly grasp. Zuko had been angry then, too—but he had _always_ been angry then—but his anger had stemmed from the thought of a certain Waterbender knowingly toying with him like prey. However, the memories were not the source of Zuko's anger…no. He enjoyed those memories; _relished_ in them almost daily when he had the spare moment.

The Waterbender though…

Zuko inhaled sharply, clenching his eyes and focusing on the steady burn that traveled down his throat. He swallowed gently, his throat and neck sore, but uninjured. Today was perhaps not the best day to test exactly how fire-proof he was on the inside, yet he could not help his anger at the woman who flitted away after the war with his heart trailing after her.

It had been two years since Zuko had been a very willing participant in the effects of the Wolf Moon. He had been the one to focus Katara's attention as the intensity of the moon elevated her bending beyond her control. It had been beautiful; _dangerous_, but so incredibly beautiful. Zuko had been gifted with the pleasure of seeing Katara at her _best_. That they had moved together as one, twice within a day's time, was something Zuko could never forget.

It was also something that had not happened since.

Zuko and Katara had not insulted their…relationship by making grand assumptions for when the war ended. There were feelings between them, and several more shared kisses that took the Fire Lord's breath away in reminiscence, but neither had spoken of their plans or hopes…especially those that may have included one another.

Zuko realized, too late, that perhaps he should have opened his damn mouth.

When they went their separate ways after the war, Zuko knew he had probably made his first great post-war error. Zuko had assumed the role of Fire Lord by his birthright and had not left his home nation since, the massive list of repairs necessary to strengthen the ties his nation broke bearing down upon him daily. Katara, so he had heard from Aang when the Avatar visited, had returned to the Southern Water Tribe for a couple of months before beginning her duties as envoy to Chief Hakoda. Zuko had not asked, nor had Aang mentioned, the relationship between Avatar and Waterbender. Whatever had been there during the war was not sustained with peace, and it had been left at that. Aang was too young to dwell on heartbreak, and Zuko could not help but wonder how easily Katara had moved on from the Airbender…

…let alone if she was still hung up on the Firebender.

What made Zuko's blood boil with rage, his heart pound frenetically behind his ribs with agony, was that Katara had failed to acknowledge the Fire Lord for an _entire_ year.

After six months of sending messages to her home nation, as well as the other cities he knew she was visiting, Zuko stopped making the excuse that she wasn't getting his messages. He knew she was. He had _made sure_ she was getting them.

That malicious little viper was _ignoring_ him.

It drove the Fire Lord _wild_. They had been friends the last time he had seen her; even shared a goodbye kiss before she had left for the Southern Water Tribe. Katara was intentionally avoiding him and he could not pin down a reason why. He could not even pin _her_ down to ask her! The vixen had purposely avoided attending a ball last year in celebration of the Earth King's marriage, an event where her presence was expected, and all because, he suspected, the Fire Lord had also been there.

It pained Zuko to think that his one chance for true happiness may have slipped beneath the horizon with the Wolf Moon. He could no longer pretend that he had no illusions about what Katara and he may or may not have been. Zuko wanted her; _had_ wanted her from the moment she had showed him, her enemy, a sliver of compassion in the caves of Ba Sing Se.

Zuko sighed again, gladly streaming a large burst of fire from his mouth with his frustrations. He was so angry; angry at Katara, angry at himself, angry at the damn volcano and the stupid comet that muddled his thoughts and body. He had wasted countless nights wondering what went wrong, where he slipped up that Katara would suddenly cease to acknowledge him. What made an infuriating situation even worse for the Fire Lord was being denied the ability to pursue the woman he wanted…no, _loved. _ He doubted anyone on his council or staff would have outright told him no; but Zuko could not disappear during such a critical time of rebuilding in the Fire Nation. That was not fair to his people and, if Zuko were honest, it was not fair to himself. Yes, he wanted her, he loved her; and that exhilarated and frightened him…

…but that damn woman was ignoring him for a _full_ year and counting. He deserved better than a woman who clearly had such little regard for him.

_Keep telling yourself that until you start to believe that lie you fool…_

Zuko tried, in vain, to send his erratic and melancholy thoughts elsewhere so that he could prevent himself from becoming angrier about a situation that he was in no frame of mind to ponder—especially when his mind could barely acknowledge the note left in the grass next to him by his staff—

Zuko's eyes widened.

_What the hell?!_

His staff was supposed to be _gone! _ What the hell were they still doing in the palace and what damn nerve did one of them have to come into the spring while he was exposed and vulnerable?

_If this is about a forest fire in the Swamps, I'm going to lose what shred of dignity I have remaining and cry._

The Fire Lord jumped out of the spring, his hands immediately clutching at the piece of paper before a very un-Fire-Lord-like yelp escaped him when the paper began to singe in his grasp. He dropped the paper to the ground and crouched before it to read its contents. Immediately Zuko's eyes widened, his jaw falling open as he recognized the flowing, curly script on the paper.

_Fire Lord Zuko,_

_It is such a shame no one else is around to see you prancing around your palace in nothing but your _dignity_. I would wager you _bend_ magnificently with nothing on._

_Katara_

_Envoy to the Southern Water Tribe_

Zuko's world suddenly caved in around him, a very nauseating feeling of claustrophobia clawing at his chest. She had been there, in his palace, _right next to him_ in the springs. The woman who haunted his dreams and tormented his thoughts in his waking hours had been _right next to him_.

The Fire Lord felt the familiar tendrils of rage flare within his mind at the thought of Katara, but he quickly ignored his anger and jumped to his feet, running at a full sprint out of the springs and toward the training grounds, thankful, once again, that his staff could not see him running through the palace in all his glory.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

By the time Zuko skidded to a halt inside the massive arena of the training grounds, his mind was a confusing jumble of thoughts and emotions that he could not even begin to sort through. He felt his reservations about seeing Katara, and the potential danger she was in being near him, as well as, his obvious reservations over how his pathetically lovesick heart might betray him in her presence. He recognized his rage, a seemingly constant presence in his head amongst the garbage of thoughts he could not keep up with.

The Fire Lord inhaled sharply, turning in a circle to take in the expanse of the arena around him. The exertion from running left him feeling…exhilarated. He was _excited_, in body and mind, that much he could recognize despite his other conflicting emotions.

Yet…the arena was empty. Zuko felt his heartbeat begin to quicken, his eyes darting every which way in search of a splash of blue to bring relief to the myriad of reds, yellows, golds, and blacks of his home. He saw nothing.

The Fire Lord's fists clenched, the fire within him desperately trying to find an avenue out of his body in which to ventilate. She was gone, or nearly so. The thought occurred to Zuko that he could still catch her at the docks if he tried; there was only one way out of the Capital, and perhaps he had not been dozing so long after she left the note—

Someone clapping startled Zuko from his musings, his body flinching as it tensed from the possibility of an intruder. He spun toward the sound, his heart back-flipping in his chest when his eyes met those of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen coming from the shadows of the arena, one hand coming to rest on a hip and a smirk twitching her lips.

Katara's beauty had been unrivaled a year ago, especially with her appearance mussed by the heat of battle; Zuko had never been more attracted to her than when she knelt over him after defeating his sister, her skin smudged with soot and her hair a mess from her movements. But this Katara, Zuko swallowed the fire that wanted to erupt from his mouth, whether his teeth and lips were in the way or not.

This woman before him had luscious curves he had never _seen_ before, hair thick as a pelt, yet looked twice as soft. Her body had ripened into womanhood and her face was prominent with high cheekbones and a defiant chin; which was lifted in the air, supporting a smirk and a deviant glint in her gaze.

Zuko hardly recognized _this_ Katara but he already loved what he was seeing.

She shook her head at him, her lips parting into a smile, "I must say," she said in what he thought was a purr with the intention to rile him up more, yet he did not care a lick if it did, "you do wear your dignity with such royal grace and…" her gaze slowly fell down his body before settling in his lap; despite the distance, Zuko could see with the precision of a hawk that her pupils had just dilated and her tongue darted from the cavern of her mouth to lick her lips, "…_pride_."

His lips pursed; he did not bother glancing down to see what had enraptured the Waterbender's gaze. Instead the Fire Lord raised his head defiantly, standing naked before her, with an _aching_ erection, and all the while hoping it appeared that he still had control of himself despite feeling more vulnerable and exposed than when she had him bound to a tree.

Yet the Fire Lord also felt the still-approaching comet that, judging from the energy he could feel coursing through his body, felt as if it were right on top of him. His appendages were constantly twitching beyond his control, making his efforts to stand erect and proud laughable. His inner fire was ventilating from his nostrils with every breath; two steady jets of flame settling within his nose and flaring with every exhale. His emotions, his _rage_ was getting more and more intense. Zuko was amazed he was able to stand still before the woman who enraged him so for as long as he was.

Despite wondering how much control he had over himself, Zuko knew it was time for Katara to leave. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind that he was happy to see her, _finally_, and yet it was still not safe for her to be anywhere near him.Zuko leveled a glare at the enchanting Waterbender, gritting his teeth in the effort it took to ignore his baser instincts and remain where he stood, "You need to leave."

_It's for her own good, it's for her safety, it's for the sake of my still-beating heart…_

The Master Waterbender smirked, never missing a beat, "I think I'll stay," before lifting her hands to the knot at her waist keeping her dress fastened.

"No!" he barked, immediately cursing himself when he noticed the tiny flash of fear that crossed Katara's face as he startled her, her hands stilling before resuming their efforts on the knot at her waist. Zuko snarled, shaking his head wildly to control the rage within him and slamming his eyes shut. He wanted to _fight_ her, to make sure she knew how _angry_ she made him, to lay his heart bare before her and show her how wounded it was because of _her_. The Fire Lord swallowed, feeling for the first time genuine fear at his behavior and how out of control he actually was.

Zuko wanted to _punish_ her.

"You don't…ungh…unders-stand. Several e-events have…have occur—"

Katara, finished with the knot, flung open her dress, letting it pool at her feet and standing before him in nothing but her bindings, smirk still in place, "I know what is happening Zuko, that is why I am here," she said it as if it should have been obvious that she would have come to him in his time of need.

His face morphed into a confused scowl, not understanding her. How could she have known what was going to happen today…had she been in Ba Sing Se when they found out about the comet? Still, that's impossible; the fastest way from Ba Sing Se to the Capital was by Appa and that was still a four day journey.

She offered him a genuine smile, summoning some of the water that surrounded the arena beneath the grates to her hands, "I was already on my way to see you when the volcano erupted," she coated the first two fingers of her hands with water, freezing them until her fingers looked like daggers, "and by the time I made it to the docks, a guard told me I had to leave because there was an emergency with all of the Firebenders nearby and that I was in danger," she laughed, the sound sultry and pulsating within the Firebender's body. He clenched his teeth against the onslaught of rage pounding his body.

"I assured him that I was in no danger, but I did have to be a bit," her fingers traced down her sides, the sharp blades of ice cutting through her bindings with ease and revealing more and more dark, beautiful skin to the Firebender. She gave him a devilish smirk, "persuasive."

Zuko threw his head back, his arms reaching toward the sky as he roared his anger to the heavens, a massive stream of fire erupting from his face and hands.

"STOP IT! Stop talking and…and s-stop what you're doing!" he roared at her, ashamed of himself for unleashing his anger at her in such a way. He _knew_ she was teasing him, he _knew_ that without a shadow of a doubt, but it was as if his inner fire had borrowed his hurt feelings and could not be assuaged. The sight of his former lover bare before him only fueled the fire within him to the point where _he_ actually felt the overwhelming heat. His gaze flitted to and away from her lap and the surprise she had been hiding from him there. He could see her glistening folds, the smooth skin of her sex, and yet he could not even appreciate how much the sight of her hairless down there made him all the more aroused. She had _not_ been cleanly shaved the last time they had been together, and instead of entertaining the possibility that she had done such a thing for his benefit, the Fire Lord became enraged at the thought of some other man enjoying what belonged to him.

Katara let the water from her fingers go back to the ring beneath the grates, both hands resting on her hips as she stood before him, bare and proud. Zuko stopped pretending he had the situation under control, he didn't. His body slouched, his breathing was haggard and his gaze was fixated on her as if she was a meal…and he was _starving_. Zuko shook his head, trying to remain lucid and in control.

"As Fire Lord I _command _you to leave the premises immediately."

Katara was steadfast, her smirk becoming wider as if this was all just so amusing to her, "No. Now that I've…evened the playing field," she turned slightly and his eyes darted to the profile of her breasts, "I think I'm better prepared to deal with you."

He gnashed his teeth, physically forcing himself to take two steps away from the Waterbender. If she did not leave, he may have to run away from her. He gave it a last ditch effort and hoped, when this was all over, he could whatever damage he caused.

"This is not your ridiculous Wolf Moon, _peasant_," his voice had dropped to a growl, he hardly recognized himself and feared he was beginning to lose control, "we Firebenders do not become amorous in the presence of excessive energy, we become angry!"

His words were so poisonous that he instantly regretted them, but could not take them back, not yet. He needed her to leave so he could rest assured that no harm would come to her by his hand.

But that damn Waterbender was _still_ smirking at him, as if his words were the very element she had mastered manipulating. She crouched into a Waterbending stance, yet her element remained beneath the grates around the arena.

"I think I can handle you at your angriest, _my Lord_. It's not like I don't have experience in dodging the efforts of Prince Zuko trying to kill me…"

She was still teasing him, but his mind could not register that fact anymore. His body stilled, his gaze leveled at her, and he could not believe that she made an off-hand joke about his foolish past. His body shuddering, he was about to command his body, with all his strength, to turn around and leave her, when he heard her voice again.

"What's the matter, _your Majesty_? Are you mad at that poor wittle servant who spilt tea all over your nice robes?" She began to circle him, crouching lower into her stance and calling her element to her. His subconscious _knew_ what she was doing and tried to command his body not to give in. She was taunting him, encouraging him to release his anger, yet she was also presenting herself as a very obvious threat; a Master Firebender, no matter how many years under his belt, will only meet his downfall when underestimating another Master. She knew very well that Zuko would have a knee-jerk reaction to her stature.

Zuko fought it.

He remained perfectly still—despite the constant tremors going through his body from excessive energy and pure rage—and commanded his instincts to ignore the threat that continued to circle him. There was no way she could know just _how_ powerful he was at that moment. Every Firebender in the Capital and near the volcano, was the most powerful they would ever be in their lifetime—and Zuko was _the_ most powerful ever. His royal blood coursing through his veins was receptive to every nuance of energy in the atmosphere, alerting him with almost a sixth sense precisely where the comet was. It was close, so close that Zuko knew he was going to lose it.

And Katara just kept taunting him.

"Would you like to vent about that cook who burned your food the other day? Or how about that councilman who questioned your authority? Hmm? Tell me what _really_ makes you angry, or should I just keep guessing? Was it that girl you tried to court who turned you down?" She giggled, circling behind him and missing the blank, empty expression of anger on his face. That hit a little too close to the matter at hand and Zuko had a heart-wrenching feeling that Katara _knew_ that.

Zuko let go.

With a deafening roar, Zuko unleashed an enormous wall of fire directly at Katara; all of his pent up energy, all of his rage, all of his heartache went flying toward her in an angry, hot wall of fire. Before the fire had dissipated, Zuko was running toward her, conflicted over his intentions: make sure she was ok, or take her down if she was still standing.

He heard a muffled grunt before the flames erupted into steam, having collided with a wall of water. Despite her efforts, the energy from his attack had been too powerful and Katara had been flung backwards onto the ground. Slowly rising into a sitting position, Katara hissed at the stinging pain on her back and bottom, realizing that sparring in the nude was not her brightest idea, before she was knocked flat on her back by something hard and searing hot. Clenching her eyes shut against the pain in the back of her head, Katara suddenly felt a _lot_ of something hot all over; her eyes flew open wide and met with two narrowed molten fires staring back at her, the rest of the Firebender covering her body and pinning her to the ground.

"I am angry with _YOU_!" he shouted in her face, causing the Waterbender to flinch before her eyes went wide and her mouth parted in surprise. Zuko's anger came to a zenith at that moment, his vision going white and his body stilling completely for once as the possibility that she could not _know_ why he would be angry with her made his anger seem all the more justified.

"You," he growled, slightly enjoying how she flinched at the spurt of flames that erupted from his mouth and nose, "have _toyed_ with me long enough, wench!"

Katara shakes her head, "Zuko, I—"

"For an entire YEAR, Katara!" he shouts in her face, any control he had long gone in the face of his unbridled anger. "For an entire year I have sent pieces of my pathetic, _fucking_ heart after you all over the damned _world_. And each time you _trampled_ on them, _ignoring_ me and _avoiding_ ME!"

Katara began to tremble and Zuko saw it, knew it, and was ashamed he could find nothing within himself to care that he was the cause of her fear. Yet, to Zuko's dismay, Katara remained silent in the face of his accusations, did not try to speak a word to defend herself, merely stared at him, her expression blank, in anticipation of what he would do next.

_Did she even _know_ how I felt about her?_ The messages should have been clear; he had made it very plain that he wanted to see her, _needed_ to see her and be near her. He had told her how much he _missed_ her presence and wanted to hold her close to him. How much more explicit did he need to be?

Yet Zuko saw nothing in her face; she was either clueless to his feelings, or ignoring them and focusing on surviving this encounter with him rather than giving a damn about his feelings.

The Fire Lord felt as if whatever had been left of his heart had been ripped from his chest. His anger was palpable in the space between them, yet he was too ashamed to allow his heartache to make an appearance with it. Physically sagging with the weight of realizing the woman he loved could not even acknowledge his feelings, Zuko made to move away from her, and slink away into a dark corner for a year or two to heal his wounded heart.

Smooth arms darted out, wrapping around his neck and stilling his efforts to get away. The Fire Lord flinched, his angry gaze leveling with the Waterbender. He watched with rapt attention as her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth, her anxiety becoming more profound as she glanced away from him for a moment. Zuko could not deny the rush of smug pleasure at seeing this woman squirm; it hurt him, but he wanted her to recognize the agony he had felt for over a year's time at her absence.

She pulled him closer to her, ignoring the beads of sweat that broke out all over her body from his proximity and touched his ear with her lips, "It's okay, Zuko. I'm here, and I want to be here. It…It's okay."

Zuko's eyes fell shut, confused by her words. It was neither a response to his accusations, nor was it a plea for forgiveness; her statement seemingly had no place in their….conversation, as it were, and Zuko's mind was so muddled he could not even begin to decipher what she was getting at by insisting on remaining near him regardless of how dangerous he was at the moment.

Her insistence on ignoring the feelings Zuko had lain bare angered the Fire Lord even more, his fury ratcheting to levels that made even him afraid; he could no longer control himself and he feared what he was capable of doing in this state.

He arched away from the Waterbender, sitting on his heels and gripping his short locks, howling his frustrations at the ceiling. How she could blatantly ignore what she _had_ to know was right before her eyes, Zuko did not know. Slamming his fists on either side of her head, Zuko ignored her startled yelp and the way her eyes darted to the small craters his hands had made in the stone floor of the arena.

"How much more of me do you want you _viper!_" he shouted at her, "You have my heart and yet you ignore my feelings…no more. No more of your games you _witch_!"

"Zuko, please just—"

He ignored whatever it was she had intended to say, he knew it probably would not alleviate his frustrations anyway. Few things would at that moment; he could spar with her or he could fuck her. He wanted to avoid hurting her as much as possible so…

Grabbing her thighs with lightning speed, the Fire Lord parted her legs, throwing each over his shoulders before gripping his aching erection and centering himself at her opening.

His subconscious managed to rip through his rage for a brief, blessed moment, forcing him to pause enough to coat himself in his own lubrications before thrusting into her to the hilt.

Katara arched off the ground, forcing Zuko to grab her waist to keep her centered on his manhood as she bucked her hips from the intrusion. She had been wet before he entered her, but Katara still forced herself to remain impassive to the twinges of pain she experienced from the rough invasion; this had not happened since her first Wolf Moon and her body was not accustom to such an activity.

Zuko gripped her hips tightly, knowing he was going to leave bruises on her soft skin and hating himself for it. He allowed his body to become reacquainted with the tight sheathe of a woman, or so he told himself. Zuko did not want to dwell on whether or not Katara had become an old hand at this activity; it would anger him too much to know how she had spent her last Wolf Moon and in whose company…it definitely had not been his. The letters he sent during that time had been coded for her privacy, but he had been very blatant in insisting she come to the Capital so he could help her again. As had been the case with every other message, his pleas went unanswered.

However, what Zuko wished most to ignore, his rage insisted deserved a suitable answer.

The Fire Lord slowly leaned closer to her face, the uncertain look in the Waterbender's eyes angering him all the more. "Tell me," he hissed through is teeth, "how you enjoyed _this_ during your last Wolf Moon," his emphasis was coupled with a harsh thrust, earning him a throaty gasp in response.

"Ungh…I…I was alone last year." Katara moaned, her walls clenching around him. He had no way of knowing, and she was not particularly ready to tell him, how much his possessive attitude aroused her.

"You're lying," his insecurities hissed out, despite how badly he wanted to believe her.

Katara leveled a smirk at him, "If you truly believe that, I guess you should reclaim me as yours…if you'll have me, Fire Lord Zuko."

He would have her.

Zuko suddenly broke into a fury of motion, his powerful thrusts causing their skin to slap together roughly and broken, guttural moans to spill from the Waterbender's throat. She had pressed her hips into him, a silent cue to go on, and he wondered precisely how intuitive she was to what he was going through. As far as the Fire Lord was concerned, his behavior was unacceptable and he was betraying the trust of his closest friend. It didn't matter how angry he was at her for ignoring his feelings, they _had_ parted ways under no illusions about what they meant to one another. He was taking advantage of her trust and her body, and yet she continued to encourage him.

Zuko's rage-filled mind blanked then, or he lost control of his thoughts, he could not tell. His back stiffened as his thrusts became more powerful, his gaze never leaving the Waterbender's body as he watched her breasts bounce with his every movement.

"I will…make you regret…coming here…_peasant_," he hissed at her through clenched teeth, wanting her to see his anger and regret ever toying with his fragile emotions.

Katara's moans were the only response he got, her hands sliding down his arms to his thighs, where she gripped him tightly and began to thrust against him, increasing the Firebender's pace. His skin was unbelievably hot, but somehow she was not burned by it; she did not know if Zuko was still in control of himself and did not really care, the heat from his manhood inside her was an added bonus to the pleasure he caused her.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Zuko suddenly stilled within her, roaring his release to the ceiling in a stream of fire and gripping her hips to his so hard that she felt him twitch inside her with his release. Katara hissed, his semen was so hot, yet it felt _so_ good and she moaned quietly in frustration as she felt her own release begin to ebb as the Fire Lord's movements subsided.

Katara risked meeting his gaze, but he was looking at the ceiling of the arena, panting from the heavy exertion of their activities. Her lips parted to speak, but she paused when she saw his eyes narrow, as if he was looking at something on the ceiling. His body began to tremble, no, _hum_ again and she felt all of his appendages start to twitch in agitation from his arrested movement.

"Zuko…are you okay?"

No, he wasn't. The comet was directly overhead, he could sense it. His body had begun to twitch in agitation the moment he stilled from his release; as if physical exertion was the only way to channel his mental and physical abundance of energy.

The woman beneath him made as if to move away, and he tightened his grip on her, a growl ripping from his throat. She would not escape him.

"I am_ far_ from done with you, witch."

Pulling out of her quickly and ignoring her small yelp and the dripping mess he had created on them, the Fire Lord stood and began to drag his captive toward his chambers so he could continue to expel his energy on her willing body.

How fitting that after two years of being friends, he would finally capture her for himself.

**A/N: **[Fans self] Phew! It's hard re-reading this so many times to edit it! Hope this chapter was more to your liking. One more chapter and then this is all wrapped up.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: I'm still getting the vibe that you all are not digging this story like you did Wolf Moon. Eh, I happen to love this story because Zuko's character is so naturally angst-y. =P Anyway, this is it everybody, the final installment. Hopefully I get inspired to write in this fandom again sometime.

Day of the Dragon

**Chapter Three**

Zuko felt like an absolute bastard.

Night had fallen over the Capital, and with the setting of the sun came a welcome calm for Firebenders everywhere. The comet had passed and was far enough out of range that its effects on them were no longer felt. The Avatar—or someone, Zuko still wasn't sure—had taken care of the volcano a couple hours ago, and with it the lightning storm had also receded. The abundance of energy that had plagued Zuko's body and mind for almost an entire day was finally gone.

Zuko lay awake in his bed, staring at the slumbering Waterbender next to him and tormenting himself with his guilt.

The two benders had been sequestered in his chambers for nearly ten hours, the Fire Lord taking advantage of his seemingly infinite stamina from the events to punish the Waterbender's body continuously. She had found pleasure from him, that much he was grateful for, but her many orgasms had drained her body and she had drifted off to sleep several times in between without meaning to, quietly muttering to him, "Go on, I just need to shut my eyes."

Zuko had refused to sully his good name further by taking advantage of the sleeping woman, instead leaving her to sleep for an hour while he trained rigorously on his balcony, expending as much fire and energy as he could before his rage overwhelmed him and he forced her awake to continue his assault on her body.

It pained him that he could not even relish in the joy of having the woman he loved in his bed next to him, something he had desired for longer than he cared to admit. He had been brutal to her, a raging, mindless animal and he was finding it difficult to excuse his actions based upon the events. He had _wanted_ to punish her, to make sure she understood clearly how tormented he felt because of her.

He was a bastard, but a brokenhearted one at that.

He flinched when the Waterbender began to stir next to him, swallowing down the startled yelp that would have shredded the last of his dignity. Crystal blue eyes peeked open, meeting his golden ones. To further floor and confuse him, Katara offered him a sweet smile, stretching languidly with a yawn before curling closer to him, her head resting on his outstretched arm.

"Hey," she whispered, poking him in the chest lightly when he continued to stare at her.

_Uh_… "Hey," he said back, agonizing over the conversation he knew they were about to have.

"How are you feeling? Has the comet passed?"

He nodded dumbly, "Yeah," before shaking himself and attempting to contribute more to the conversation, clearing his throat, "the volcano has been taken care of as well…I'm just not sure how."

She smiled at him, "That's good. Seems kind of unlucky, huh? So many sources of Firebending energy all at once? I think the rest of the world just sighed in relief," she said with a laugh, absently placing a kiss on his shoulder that made his heart flip in his chest.

Her kiss reminded the Fire Lord that she seemed to be dancing around the one subject that had sparked his behavior toward her, and he felt the familiar tendrils of rage creeping into his mind. Able to control his anger with a breath, Zuko decided he could no longer avoid the subject any longer.

Katara frowned, seeing him deep in thought, "Zuko, what's wrong?"

He sighed, grateful that the action didn't bathe the Waterbender in flames, "Katara, I can't pretend to ignore how I feel anymore. I sent you countless messages for the past _year_ telling you how I felt about you and then outright screamed it in your face earlier today. I can't pretend that didn't happen anymore. And…and it's still so damn…_infuriating_ that you seem to be doing just that, pretending it never happened."

Katara sighed, which made him nervous, before sitting up in his bed and leaning against the headboard. She laced her fingers with his, his thumb immediately smoothing the skin of her hand in a constant rhythm. Her gaze fixated on their joined hands before she smiled, seemingly to herself, "I'm not pretending it didn't happen, Zuko, I couldn't. I just…preferred to address those things when your mind was more…together."

He didn't answer that.

Biting her lip, Katara continued, "I don't have a good excuse for why I ignored you all year except that I was…I still _am_ afraid."

His thumb stilled and his gaze remained leveled on her face.

Katara sighed, looking away from him, "Zuko, you're the Fire Lord of the Fire Nation and I'm the Envoy of the Southern Water Tribe. Our feelings don't _matter_ in this scenario, can't you see that? We would never be able to be together and we're only setting ourselves up for heartache if we even try."

"So you do love me?"

Katara flinched, almost hating how good Zuko was at picking out what she meant to say from what she actually said. Her bottom lip disappeared again, her teeth nibbling on it as her nerves got the better of her. It didn't _matter_, could he not understand that? She feared their love was not sustainable with their political obligations.

Katara's eyes slid shut, tears threatening to fall. She had to believe that.

Zuko squeezed her hand, then gently grabbed her chin and forcing her watery gaze to meet his stern one.

"Katara, you never told me you loved me and my heart had _already_ begun to ache. What has become of my fearless friend that she would deny herself a chance at happiness over a possibility?"

The Waterbender shook her head, "You're the _Fire Lord_," she whispered again, "there is no way we could remain true to our obligations and make this work. _Please _understand, Zuko."

Zuko's guilt reared its ugly head when he saw how pained the woman he loved was. He had wanted her to feel his heartache, to feel his agony, and she did. The pain was evident on her face; her words were true.

Flinging himself away from her, Zuko stalked from his bed to a desk in his room where his crown sat. He snatched the metal from its perch and stomped back to Katara, climbing into the bed on his knees and thrusting the object in her face.

"I have an _entire_ nation dependent upon me, Katara. I serve the Fire Nation as its Lord and protector and have done so for over a year now. I would sacrifice _everything_—my crown, my country, my people, my birthright…for you. I _love_ you," she flinched at his words, "and I would do anything to be with you."

Katara shook her head as if to silence his words, the tears beginning to stream down her cheeks, "You _can't_, Zuko! You know you can't! You're the Fire Lord and you have an obligation to your people. You can no more give that up than Aang could step away from his duties as the Avatar."

Zuko wondered if that had been the final dagger slice that had split the Airbender and Waterbender apart. He scowled at the thought, "I am not Aang and I do not care. If this is what it takes to be with you, then you need only ask and I am yours forever. I love _you_."

The heels of her palms flew to her eyes, cutting off the sight of his crown before her, "I can't ask you do that," she sobbed, "you know I can't!"

He tossed his crown away somewhere to his left and gripped her arms, forcing her to meet his gaze, "Than what if I asked you, hmm? Would you allow me that much? Or would you hate me for asking you to sacrifice your…_obligations_ just to be with me?"

Her eyes frantically searched his, hoping he was not serious, hoping he had not really asked her such a thing. She had refused to ask Zuko to sacrifice his crown because it was unrealistic and selfish; he was the ruler of an entire _nation_ and as much as it pained her to be altruistic, that was how it had to be.

So could she really fault him for wanting to be selfish for once in his life?

Her tears continued down her cheeks unheeded, and he gently pulled her to him until their bodies touched, his arms wrapping around her body, his damaged cheek resting against hers.

"Tell me you love me," he whispered, his breath on her ear causing her to shiver.

"Y-you know I do, Zuko," she cried.

He gently kissed the outer shell of her ear, "Tell me."

Her grip on his sides tightened as she wept, "I love you. I love you so mu—"

Zuko gently silenced her with a kiss, their first in over a year. She pressed herself to him, her lips parting on a sob. She welcomed his tongue with hers, their bodies pressing together until no space existed between them. The kiss made Katara feel weak; all of Zuko's passion, his fire, his strength, his _love_, poured into their kiss. It reminded her of why she had been fearful in the first place; his love…_their_ love was overwhelming and she feared what she could give up to be with him.

Zuko gently broke the kiss, his scarred cheek nuzzling her flawless one as he held her close to him, their bodies still touching.

"Marry me," he whispered suddenly.

Katara flinched, her eyes flying open as she pushed away to meet his gaze. He was smirking at her, his scarred eye seeming to twinkle at her. She gaped at him, "Zuko, I can't—"

"I want you by my side for the rest of my life and I want to be by yours. I don't care where you go in this world or how long you are there. As long as I know that someday you will come home to me, that is all I ask."

She shook her head, knowing it could not be as easy as he made it sound. He wasn't the only one who had been tormented in the past year, but she knew her duties to the Southern Water Tribe would make a relationship impossible.

Zuko leaned in, kissing her again, a short, sweet peck on her lips before whispering, "I want to be the one you come home to. Keep your position with the Southern Water Tribe if it means that much to you, but come home to me…please?"

In that moment, Katara had to reconcile with a fact she had fought to ignore since the end of the war. Zuko was the _Fire Lord_, and there were few, if any, that could take his place. Iroh had already refused, but was the obvious choice in a dire situation. Yet, the older Firebender Royal was without an heir, as was Zuko at the moment, and that would leave the Fire Nation in a crisis to search for their next leader should anything befall the last remaining members of the Fire Nation Royalty.

Yet…

Katara was a simple envoy for the Southern Water Tribe…a position granted to her for her efforts during the war, not by any entitlement.

She loved what she did for her tribe, and for the world, and try as she might, Katara could no longer lie to herself and pretend that she was the only person capable of serving the Southern Water Tribe. Her father had offered—more than once—to find someone to replace her so she could do something else with her life, whatever she wanted. She had turned him down, convinced that after so much time apart, her father needed her to help rebuild the world.

She never considered what she truly _wanted_.

Because…she _did _want to be with Zuko. She had always wanted to be with him and knew that, between the two of them, she would be the one forced to sacrifice what was beginning to look like a career in Water Tribe politics. That reality frightened her then, and it amazed her how…how _relieved_ she felt when Zuko gave her a choice. It made the idea of choosing Zuko seem all the more genuine, and that sacrificing her position as envoy not so much of a sacrifice, and more of the end to a good chapter in her life. The chapters to come would offer her so much joy and happiness, that much she knew.

A part of Katara was mentally berating her, something obnoxious along the lines of '_Duh you idiot!_' being shouted at her from her subconscious, but she would settle that part of her guilt later. She had not been entirely foolish in her wants and dreams, and she had not been _too_ noble in wanting to continue to serve the world as a guide on its journey to everlasting peace. Mentally shrugging, she couldn't help that Zuko made her see what she wanted more in her young life.

Blinking the tears from her eyes, the Waterbender met Zuko's gaze shyly, nibbling on her lip again before simply nodding at him, a slow smile creeping onto her face.

Zuko started, disbelieving what that simple nod really meant. "Katara?"

An incredibly beautiful blush crept up the Waterbender's cheeks and she glanced away from him before whispering, "I accept."

Zuko's face split into a grin, probably the broadest of his life, before he attacked the woman in his arms with his lips, capturing hers in a fierce, yet joyous kiss. He didn't care if the damn volcano erupted again with the comet returning for an encore appearance, _nothing_ could step on his life that he could not face with Katara by his side.

He laughed. A genuine, face-splitting laugh; he grabbed Katara into his arms and rolled her to the bed, holding her close to him and relishing in her squeals from his attack. The thought crossed Zuko's mind to summon a Fire Sage immediately, so that he could greet the approaching day with Katara as his wife, but there were too many people in their lives who would be affronted by such a hasty marriage (as well as several nations, unfortunately).

Zuko started, removing himself from the bed with a quick peck to Katara's lips before darting to one of his bureau's, removing something from the top drawer before slowly approaching the bed again, his step not as sure as it was before. Katara shot him a queer look, glancing at the linen bundle in his hands.

"Um," Zuko felt ridiculous, she had already accepted his offer of marriage, this should not have been any different.

But it was. Zuko wanted to show her how much he cared for her and _everything_ about her. He felt as if the last vestiges of his heart were wrapped in the little piece of linen in his hands.

Katara smiled at the blush that crept up Zuko's cheeks, "It's nice to see that you didn't forget to visit anxiety in your spectrum of emotions today," she grinned cheekily when the Fire Lord shot her a pointed look before he climbed into the bed with her.

"Well, I…I wanted to give this to you so that we could make this engagement official by your people's standards."

Katara frowned, not understanding what he meant until he unwrapped the linen, presenting to her the most beautiful betrothal necklace she had ever seen. Her eyes went wide, her voice lost as she gazed at the incredible detail of the necklace.

The ribbon was the softest silk, probably the finest in the Fire Nation, and of a deep, rich, red hue that Katara had only ever seen in Fire Nation Royal garments. The clasps were gold in color, were probably _real_ gold as well. The pendant…Katara felt the tears return to her eyes, not believing the masterpiece she was seeing, rich in detail and color.

It was a field of fire lilies, the reds, yellows and golds of the petals seeming to glisten in the light. There seemed to be hundreds of little fire lilies on the pendant, swaying in an eternal breeze. In the background stood the silhouette of a cliff; atop it, a wolf howling to the deep blue night, a large, glittering full moon hanging in the sky.

Katara gaped at the pendant, "Zuko…h-how…this is the most incredible thing I have ever seen! It's a masterpiece…how did…how did you do this?"

Zuko smiled, his anxiety waning with her ever-rising appreciation for the necklace, "Your father was a lot of help to me actually. He—"

Katara felt as if her mind had left to take a powder as she stared in a dumb stupor at the Fire Lord, "Wait, my father. _My_ father. You spoke to my father?!"

Zuko rolled his eyes, smirking at her, "Of course I did! Do you really think I would propose without speaking to your father? I'm pretty sure that's a custom in _every_ nation, Katara, and I would be an idiot not to. In fact I spoke to your whole family," he said, another deviant smirk lighting his too handsome features.

"When did you do this exactly?"

"The day the war ended. Your father taught me how to make the betrothal necklace after I asked for your hand and I started on it immediately. So…sorry if it's a little dusty, but I've been holding on to it for about a year, you know," he said, shooting her another pointed look.

Katara would seethe later about the fact that her entire family had known about the Fire Lord's plans and had not thought to step in on her behalf and help her see reason. Instead she shyly pulled her hair away from her neck, looping the mass into a ball in one hand.

Zuko took the pendant and placed it around her neck, kissing the spot where he clasped it together on the back of her neck. Leaning back, he swallowed thickly, seeing Katara with the majority of her hair up and away from her body, and proudly displaying his handiwork.

Stark naked.

Katara felt the heat of Zuko's arousal on her bare body, and blushed prettily, a coy smile lighting her features. Reaching forward she tenderly placed a palm on the scarred side of Zuko's face, his head turning into her palm and nuzzling the soft skin there.

"I love the necklace, Zuko. And I'm impressed that you managed to create something that is almost as handsome and stunning as you are," her voice seemed to thicken as she raked her gaze down his body, worshiping the hard planes and curves of his body with her sight.

Zuko snorted, "That's mean."

She smirked at him, backing away and falling into the lush den of pillows and blankets behind her, "Is not, you just haven't learned to appreciate how handsome you are. But…I have been so bad lately. I think you need to punish me some more," Zuko wasn't sure if she was directly addressing his manhood or still holding the conversation with him, but he didn't care.

"I intend to," he muttered with a growl, pouncing on her, her legs spread wide and accepting him close to her body. He devoured her lips with his own, his grip on her waist pulling her hips closer to his until they collided, causing the pair to see stars, gasping as pleasure flitted through their bodies.

She was wet for him, and Agni knew he wanted her so badly right then, but Zuko wanted to take his time and savor his reward. It had been a long year without her, and he wanted to start off the rest of his life with becoming properly reacquainted with his new wife's body without the added annoyance of being an overwhelmed berserker.

He parted his lips from hers, and began the delicious journey down her body with his tongue and lips as his guide. Her neck smelled delicious and heady, and he loved the noisy moans and writhes he earned from her when his tongue danced along the juncture of her neck and shoulders. Kissing the spot just beneath where her betrothal necklace lay, Zuko lathed his tongue in between her breasts, relishing in the taste of sweat and the heady aroma of something sweet and floral and so very Katara.

The Waterbender arched her back off the bed in a beautiful display when his lips circled her left nipple, his hand brushing against the underside of her other breast. The throaty moan he earned when his teeth closed around the bud made his cock jump and his sacs ache—Agni he wanted her so _badly_.

Nipping the underside of her breast, the Fire Lord grazed his teeth along the delicate skin of her side, biting her hip as he settled between her legs. He gripped each thigh, moving her legs apart and pushing his shoulders under them, loving the feel of her weight resting on his back, feeling wrapped inside her body.

"Zuko-oo," she whispered, pushing her hips closer to his face. He wasted no more time, immediately closing his lips over hers, inhaling the musky scent of her arousal as he kissed her. Zuko could now, with a conscious frame of mind, _thoroughly_ enjoy the bare skin of his lover's sex. However, seeing her hairless skin brought to mind his earlier insecurities, and he could not stop himself from questioning her.

"So when did thi_s_," he licked up one side of her labia, and down the other before dragging his tongue along the length of her slit, his cock jumping when she moaned aloud and pushed against his lips, her fingers clenching in his short hair, "become a part of your regular grooming?"

Zuko distracted himself by nuzzling one of her lips with his nose, peppering kisses along her wet opening. He was afraid of what her answer would be.

He felt her body quake with her laughter, "Earlier this week."

The Fire Lord lifted his head, quirking his brow at her, "And am I correct in assuming you did this for…_my_ benefit?"

She nodded at him with a smile, obviously amused by his incredulity.

Both brows were now raised, "So you were _anticipating_ having sex with me?"

Another nod.

Zuko leveled her with a heated gaze, growling, "Minx," before attacking her lips once more with his tongue and teeth. Katara fell back onto the pillows, writhing and moaning aloud, her hands gripping the Fire Lord's shoulders, causing him to moan against her slit.

Katara cried out when his tongue plunged into her opening, her back arching off the bed. She felt her body grow tight, the familiar tingling sensation building in her groin becoming more and more focused on her clit.

"Zuko, please…I'm—" she screamed, going rigid as her orgasm rushed through her body, her inner walls clenching and releasing, her juices lapped up greedily by Zuko. His attentions to her entrance were on the verge of spurring another climax, when he suddenly lifted himself and pulled her hips toward him, her legs still anchored on his shoulders as he plunged his cock inside her drenched opening. Katara hissed at the intrusion, overwhelmed with the pleasurable sensation of being filled by him and immediately began bucking her hips against him, encouraging him to thrust faster.

Zuko lost himself inside of her, his manhood wrapped tightly in her wet sheath and the musical litany of her pleas and demands drifting to his ears. He knew, despite his freakish stamina earlier today, that he would orgasm quickly, and was not surprised when he felt his release approaching. He gripped her waist tightly, slamming their hips together and shouting his release to the ceiling.

He collapsed onto the bed next to her, drawing her into his arms and sighing contently when she snuggled into his chest.

"Wow," she said, the amazement evident in her voice. Zuko snickered, noticing that her body was still twitching with lingering spasms from their activities. The thought crossed the Fire Lord's mind that he did not want to have sex for a while after the abuse his put his manhood through that day, but one glance at the naked woman in his arms and he felt his inner fire begin to roil once more. He snorted to himself, and would not be surprised if they were at each other again within a few short hours.

Whether he had anything left within him to produce an heir was another matter entirely.

Zuko caught Katara's gaze when he saw her hand near his face. She was touching him, or rather his scar—which he could not feel—and the old, lingering, self-conscious doubts began to creep forward. His scar was a part of him that he had come to accept while traveling with Aang and fighting for his nation. It was a difficult part of his past, but it was still _his_ past, and he could no more run away from it than he could the color of his eyes. Yet, if he was the only one who no longer saw the mark as an eyesore…

"Stop that," Katara whispered, eyeing his suddenly miserable countenance.

Zuko sighed. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what she thought of his face, but she was his queen now. He did not want her to think she had to hide her feelings from him, even if those feelings would destroy his self-esteem.

Katara rolled her eyes before he had a chance to open his mouth. "Before you ask me something absurd and self-deprecating about your scar, it doesn't bother me. At all. In fact, I love how it makes your eyes seem a brighter color of gold," she gave him a look when he quirked a brow, obviously aware that he would be skeptical of her opinion of his face, "_However_, I was just trying to gauge the damage. I don't think I can fix a scar, but perhaps I can fix the nerves…?"

Zuko shook his head. "I'm sure there is a good reason why most scars have deadened nerves. I don't want to feel thick, heavy scar tissue. I can deal with it as it is."

Katara nodded, pressing her lips to his for a chaste kiss before nuzzling under his chin with a conspicuously happy sigh.

"So what now?" she whispered.

"Now? We're going to sleep right now. I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted from all the fuc—"

"I meant what happens tomorrow!" she yelled, shooting Zuko a dirty look when he smiled at the color rising in her cheeks.

"Well, I need to rein in the entire palace staff, and probably send off several letters to the other nations to see if any Firebenders were a problem," he glanced down at the fiery pendant resting above his queen's chest, watching it rise and fall with her every breath. He thumbed the pendant, admiring his handiwork and captured by how magnificent it looked against her bronze skin.

"I think, first, I need to send out invitations for a wedding, hmm?" She was blushing again, smiling happily into his chest. Agni, how he loved this woman. "How long will it take your father to get here?"

Katara was thoughtful for a moment, "It's a week's journey by boat."

"Two weeks from tomorrow then?"

"Sure."

Zuko pulled the covers over them and they settled more comfortably into the bed. They were both happy; the smile seeming to never waver from their faces as they lay together, thoughtful of what was to come.

Katara snickered quietly, "So, Fire Lord Zuko, tell me…are you ready for me to be your queen? You know I have absolutely no experience in royalty…"

Zuko kissed her temple, squeezing her closer to his body, "You've always been my queen," he whispered into her temple, "I live now to serve you, forever."

She smiled, pressing her lips to his and savoring the sweet kiss they shared. Perhaps now that she would be with him for the rest of her life, she would have the chance to show him how a king should be treated; with the love and devotion she had withheld from him for over a year.

**A/N:** Such a fluffy lemon! I love it; I'm not the biggest fan of mushy romance, so this is still tame enough that I can tolerate reading it. Hope you all enjoyed and I hope to see you all again in this fandom. That's all folks!


End file.
